IT provider Version 1 and the Education Authority were awarded Development Team of the Year for their successful collaboration in developing and delivering EA Connect.
They were described by the judges as “a very worthy winner of the Development Team of the Year, more so as it demonstrates the benefit of collaboration between public and private sector teams”.
Their collaboration had resulted in “tangible and demonstrable benefits to communities,” the judges said. “EA Connect hits the mark in terms of sustainability objectives, data safety and parental enablement and communication. It’s a genuine win-win for all stakeholders involved.”
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EA Connect is a digital platform developed by the Education Authority in partnership with IT provider Version 1 as part of the EdIS Programme. The platform is designed to support schools, families, and pupils by offering a range of services.
Since its launch, EA Connect has been used by over 214,840 parents, 5,032 school staff, and 420 EA employees. It aims to simplify administrative processes, improve data accuracy, and enhance service delivery. The platform includes accessibility features, such as support for visually impaired users, and reports a 95% customer satisfaction rate.
Features such as increased access to free school meals and timely notifications for children with special educational needs (SEN) have been included to assist families. EA Connect was developed using Agile methodologies, with input from stakeholders to ensure it meets user needs.
The Education Authority and Version 1 continue to collaborate on the platform’s development, with the goal of providing effective and efficient services for education in Northern Ireland.
Andrea Fionda, head of corporate communications at Version 1, said: “This is well deserved recognition for the EA team who had the vision to transform their user experience in a way that blazes the trail for the education sector.
“The platform has played a significant role in enhancing service delivery and accessibility. The most rewarding part of this is seeing the increased number of users and hearing positive feedback from schools, parents and EA services.
“We thoroughly enjoyed our partnership with EA and the team spirit that has delivered such a transformative outcome, so it’s particularly exciting to have the award validate this success.”